Metro News & Reviews

The art of transit

Nope, that’s not our Hollywood. That’s the Hollywood part of Portland, Oregon, the city with some serious cycling credentials. The cyclist is in a “bike box,” which the city has installed in several locations to try to eliminate collisions between cyclists and vehicles that are turning right. The idea is to get cyclists out in front of vehicles at intersections so they’re more easily seen. Here’s an explanation on the city of Portland’s website.

At the least, I think the painting of bike boxes is a lot more bold than painting sharrows on the roadway that show cyclists where to bike in traffic lanes. Sharrows advocates also say they help create awareness of cyclists among motorists.